The CEO of the TTC calls this week's service disruptions 'disappointing' and admits the transit service 'let down our customers this week.'
Kevin Leary blames the struggle with the weather on the TTC's old and fragile tracks, subway trains, streetcars, and signals.
"It was the perfect combination to interrupt service," he says.
"We've been very fortunate in recent months, with the number of improvements we've put in place, that we've seen a significant reduction in these type of delays."
He notes that the new equipment is performing well, and areas where the new automated subway signal system has been installed have been less prone to malfunctions and delays, but he says that the stretch along Museum Station is still running on the old, obsolete signal system, which means delays on Thursday cascaded down the subway line.
"By the end of this spring, this area will have the new signal system," Leary says.
"There's a lot done in preparation for the cold weather but one of the issues we still have is the aging infrastructre.:
Leary's message for all the riders inconvenienced this week is that he's working on turning the corner on long and frequent delays, and that the TTC going to get the new signals and equipment in as quickly as possible.
Its expected new signals won't be in across the service until 2021 -- at least 2 years from now.
Leary says one of the biggest challenges they have in getting this work done is a lack of time, simply because there's so much work that needs to be done.